A typical discrete-state electrical switch is a manually operated, non-electronic, device that can make or break one or more electrical circuits (hereinafter “conventional switch”). Such conventional switches include switches with one or more sets of contacts that can be connected in residential or commercial building electrical circuits for on/off control of a fixture. Conventional switches typically include a mechanical interface, such as a toggle, for mechanical switching between conducting (on) and non-conducting (off) states of the electrical circuit. Fixtures can include lighting fixtures, electrical outlets, electro-mechanical machinery, and electronic devices.
Traditional light fixtures are controlled by modifying the current of electricity that is allowed to flow through the bulb or bulbs. This control is accomplished through an electrical on/off switch, with the most common implementation of either permitting or denying all of the available current to flow to the bulb. While this approach works well for filament bulbs, florescent bulbs, and even for some LED bulbs, it does not work well for intelligent lighting systems that are controlled via communications protocols.